Case Number 24154

ARN THE KNIGHT TEMPLAR: THE COMPLETE SERIES (BLU-RAY)

The Charge

More Arn for your buck.

Opening Statement

In 2010, I reviewed Arn: The Knight Templar, a fairly decent period
film based on the adventures of Arn Magnusson; Swedish stud, Crusades legend,
and star of a well-known trilogy by Swedish author Jan Guillou. That was a just
an Arn appetizer, because it was a 128 minute re-cut version of this production;
a sprawling, six-part, 265-minute mini-series. Uff da.

Facts of the Case

Battle-monk Arn Magnusson (Joakim Natterqvist) finds himself entwined with a
lovely young woman named Cecilia (Soifa Helin), a relationship which brings with
it some politically thorny inconveniences. The fallout finds Cecilia shipped off
too a nunnery for couple of decades worth of corporal punishment and prayer, and
Arn dispatched to the Holy Land to practice his swordcraft on infidels.
Meanwhile, a power struggle has engulfed his homeland. When Arn finally does
return from his Jerusalem adventure, an entirely new set of challenges and
enemies await.

The Evidence

I was ambivalent about Arn: The Knight Templar, finding it moderately
engaging, but the pacing never quite seemed right. Now I understand why. In its
true form as a mini-series, the story engrossing. Everything is bigger,
character arcs are far more robust, and important plot details are expanded upon
to give Arn The Knight Templar: The Complete Series a weightier, more
emotionally satisfying story.

I say this as a comparison to the edited film for those who have seen it: If
you felt let down by some elements, give this version a spin. I suspect you'll
enjoy the story much more. For everyone else who have no idea what I'm talking
about, consider this a sparkling recommendation for the Blu-ray. There's a lot
to digest during these six episodes (which clock around 45 minutes each) and the
narrative is quite satisfying. Cecilia and Arn are the main focus and their
wildly divergent paths are compelling, grounded by the love they feel for each
other. Cecilia's torments are more internal, as she vies with a corrupt Mother
Superior and attempts to maintain a sense of sanity during her tenure of the
convent. Even while Arn is off stabbing and slicing Saracens, it was Cecilia's
story arc that proved to be the most upsetting.

Meanwhile, over in the Holy Land, Arn is a badass. The miniseries isn't
packed silly with battle scenes, but when they hit, they're mounted well and
exciting to watch. Thankfully, we're not subjected to extended bouts of white
guilt -- always a threat with stories of the Crusades. The filmmakers are far
more interested in developing Arn as character with the craziness of the
Crusades used as a backdrop. But my favorite stuff involves Arn back at the
homestead. Lots of political chicanery eventually leads to a large scale battle
that delivers an impressive amount of carnage and practical effects (tons of
extras on horses running around, arrows sticking in their chests, and no CGI as
far as I could see).

E1 Entertainment's Blu-ray presentation is winner, offering up this
hullabaloo in a gorgeous, pristine 1.78:1/1080p high definition widescreen
transfer. The Swedish landscape looks dynamite with the increased detail, as
does Joakim Natterqvist's exponentially more weathered and scarred visage. The
DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track delivers a clean, powerful soundscape that
transmits the lunacy of battle with verve. One side note: The languages are
listed as English/Swedish/Arabic/French/Latin, but it's an all-Swedish language
track incorporates other languages from time to time. Extras: two 20-minute
behind-the-scenes featurettes.